CORRECTION- the hatch WILL close with the bung in place. I tried again with the benefit of better light and torrents of water not running over me and it fits snugly. So no dust can get into the locking mechanism although this would have been unlikely with the fascia diffuser in place.
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The Stealth Hitch is now complied in Australia thanks to TOCA!
- Thread starter one4spl
- Start date
What I did (on advice from Michael at EV Stealth) was to open a service request and specify "Fascia Diffuser with access for tow bar".
So, something like, in the App, Click Service > Schedule Service > Other > Something Else > Next > Type in repair description with “Order Fascia Diffuser with tow bar access”
They then got back to me and confirmed plus presented an invoice to approve.
It became available a few days later. I then went to the SC with which I had booked (Chatswood in my case), charged the $230 to my account and they brought me the fascia diffuser. The Tesla guy was efficient and was the one who had handled the online request. He claimed Tesla was still going through approvals for its own towbar but the story sounded like a party line and same words there have been for a couple of years now. He said "Enjoy your new towbar" and sounded very genuine in saying it.
By the way, the fascia diffuser is quite large and I doubt it could be couriered.
***I now have a surplus 8wk old Fascia Diffuser if anyone wants to buy it and make a cutout and organise the cutout as a door. I did not want to do this with mine because it would take a while to do and be a bit fiddly. However, if I'd access to one off-car I would have been prepared to make the cutout and organise it as a door and only when complete, fit it to the car.
So, something like, in the App, Click Service > Schedule Service > Other > Something Else > Next > Type in repair description with “Order Fascia Diffuser with tow bar access”
They then got back to me and confirmed plus presented an invoice to approve.
It became available a few days later. I then went to the SC with which I had booked (Chatswood in my case), charged the $230 to my account and they brought me the fascia diffuser. The Tesla guy was efficient and was the one who had handled the online request. He claimed Tesla was still going through approvals for its own towbar but the story sounded like a party line and same words there have been for a couple of years now. He said "Enjoy your new towbar" and sounded very genuine in saying it.
By the way, the fascia diffuser is quite large and I doubt it could be couriered.
***I now have a surplus 8wk old Fascia Diffuser if anyone wants to buy it and make a cutout and organise the cutout as a door. I did not want to do this with mine because it would take a while to do and be a bit fiddly. However, if I'd access to one off-car I would have been prepared to make the cutout and organise it as a door and only when complete, fit it to the car.
Given a Tesla can tow a Boing 747, a trailer is no big deal.
Thanks to Tesla, TOCA and EV Stealth Solutions I was able to pick up a pile of heavy Teak outdoor furniture today and take it home. No, Morrison, my EV did NOT ruin my weekend, it enhanced it!
We waited before buying a Tesla until there was a complianced tow bar, roof racks, a heat pump and a few other things. The fact that Tesla dropped the price along with the NSW Govt Stamp Duty exemption further sweetened the deal and allowed us to get a Long Range rather than an SR+. I use the Tesla Roof Bars to carry an inflatable boat.
Thanks to Tesla, TOCA and EV Stealth Solutions I was able to pick up a pile of heavy Teak outdoor furniture today and take it home. No, Morrison, my EV did NOT ruin my weekend, it enhanced it!
We waited before buying a Tesla until there was a complianced tow bar, roof racks, a heat pump and a few other things. The fact that Tesla dropped the price along with the NSW Govt Stamp Duty exemption further sweetened the deal and allowed us to get a Long Range rather than an SR+. I use the Tesla Roof Bars to carry an inflatable boat.
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You have an excellent eye for detail! I bought mine in about 1980. Recently replaced the axle which was badly rusted. replaced the round cross section with SHS rated a bit higher and welded in new stub axles. When I had assembled and first registered the trailer, it went over the pits and the mechanics were very impressed by the light weight. One of them bench pressed it to arms fully extended, lying on his back. Weight is a little more now with the modded axle, but still light and robust.
I can thoroughly recommend the Stealth towbar. I had a European Stealth on my (now sold) Peugeot 508GT turbo diesel and this one is even better.
Consumption is up by about 30%, methinks mainly from windage of the boxes in the trailer. The car has so much grunt it does not notice the trailer. We have an exceedingly steep drive and I stopped and reversed up the last part of it which most ICE cars would definitely not manage. Admittedly only a few hundred kilos in the trailer but it felt as if even 1 tonne would have been hardly noticeable. Unsurprising with so much torque, power and AWD.
No problems from the rear sensors. Car shows with a pale yellow band behind when driving probably indicating "something is close behind you". TACC works fine. Reversing is fine. A small quantity of beeps, not continuous like I expected. So way less annoying than expected when reversing. I've always reversed using mirrors (57yrs of driving) but can probably get used to using the reversing camera as well.
How does this stand up with the warranty? The warranty document (https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/tesla-new-vehicle-limited-warranty-en-us.pdf) says this:
"Non-genuine Tesla parts or accessories or their installation, or any damage directly or indirectly caused by, due to, or resulting from, the installation or use of non-genuine Tesla parts or accessories" found on page 10.
I am wanting to buy a model 3 standard range plus, and then add a tow bar my concern is that what happens if I am towing under 750kg and parts of the car get deformed over time. In this situation who is liable for it? The vehicle is rated for 750kg unbraked (https://rvcs.infrastructure.gov.au/perl/50079_1425989_RVD_14Oct2021082133.cmd) but I have added "non-genuine Tesla parts" where the damage has directly or indirectly caused damage from its use.
What about if the battery hits below 70% capacity before 8 years or 240000km, could Tesla say claim that towing was a factor and thus claim the warranty is void and not honour it?
I know this is a rare case and probably won't happen but my concern is what happens IF this occurs.
I am no expert, but I understand the compliance is for the Model 3 itself. I do not think it is anything to do with year models. Basically, the car is the same one regardless of year unless there is a major structural change. However, the testing would need to be done for a different car such as the model Y. Just my opinion.
I doubt you’ll get an answer that satisfies your question. I don’t know if anybody has yet to test this with Tesla.
I have a power frunk and similar discussions have come up about that on this and other forums. I’ve had no issues and the SC said nothing when I took mine in for a charge fault.
Considering the car DOES have a towbar fitted in foreign markets proves it is capable of towing and there aren’t different battery packs for the models that tow so you’re probably unlikely to get a towing related drama.
If it was my car with some catastrophic battery issue that needed investigating, I’d simply remove it. Yes, an expense but probably much cheaper than a battery pack!
This has been discussed a fair bit earlier in the thread, including Australian laws.
I installed a similar stealth towbar on an ICE vehicle. Similarly to Tesla, they had them in Europe but not Australia (market too small). The dealer was prepared to fit it for about $6,000 and preserve warranty and I did it myself for about $1,000. There were all the same sorts of warnings about warranty for that car as from Tesla. I have no idea of the numbers, but having had towbars on a range of vehicles over 57yrs of driving, the majority of them seem to be aftermarket and non-OEM.
So, there are always risks and rewards with towbars. Several weeks ago, when I bought the towbar, EV Stealth Solutions had already sold or installed over 200 of these on Model 3s in Aus. and the numbers were growing quite quickly. What is good is that TOCA has had the compliance testing done and also the ADR approvals for Tesla Model 3 in Australia include the towing. That was done by Tesla.
Maybe Tesla Australia will suddenly announce their tow bar for Australia but I am not holding my breath. The rumours of an impending complianced Tesla towbar (the European one) have been ongoing for a couple of years now. I suspect they have their hands full with many other matters and are possibly quietly relieved that there is a solution in the marketplace even though they do not want to publicly acknowledge it. I assume the same situation is true in the USA (though I have not investigated that).
When I bought the Fascia Diffuser from the SC they said "Enjoy your new tow bar". It sounded genuine, not that I worried even if it was not.
I installed a similar stealth towbar on an ICE vehicle. Similarly to Tesla, they had them in Europe but not Australia (market too small). The dealer was prepared to fit it for about $6,000 and preserve warranty and I did it myself for about $1,000. There were all the same sorts of warnings about warranty for that car as from Tesla. I have no idea of the numbers, but having had towbars on a range of vehicles over 57yrs of driving, the majority of them seem to be aftermarket and non-OEM.
So, there are always risks and rewards with towbars. Several weeks ago, when I bought the towbar, EV Stealth Solutions had already sold or installed over 200 of these on Model 3s in Aus. and the numbers were growing quite quickly. What is good is that TOCA has had the compliance testing done and also the ADR approvals for Tesla Model 3 in Australia include the towing. That was done by Tesla.
Maybe Tesla Australia will suddenly announce their tow bar for Australia but I am not holding my breath. The rumours of an impending complianced Tesla towbar (the European one) have been ongoing for a couple of years now. I suspect they have their hands full with many other matters and are possibly quietly relieved that there is a solution in the marketplace even though they do not want to publicly acknowledge it. I assume the same situation is true in the USA (though I have not investigated that).
When I bought the Fascia Diffuser from the SC they said "Enjoy your new tow bar". It sounded genuine, not that I worried even if it was not.
Yeah doing some more reading it seems that Australian Consumer Law would probably cover me on that the only annoying thing is that if something were to happen because Tesla doesn't include it I would most likely have to take it up legally to get them to fix it. Hope it doesn't happen and this can all be avoided!!
Do you think it is possible to request that Fascia Diffuser be installed at the time of ordering and thus minimise the cost or only after the car has been delivered?
Do you think it is possible to request that Fascia Diffuser be installed at the time of ordering and thus minimise the cost or only after the car has been delivered?
I would be extremely surprised if you could. They aren't set up to put them on at the factory, or to match cars with it on the ship (which is when they do the matching to orders), or to fit it at the delivery location.
It's a pity that Tesla stopped fitting this Fascia Diffuser this year after having done it for the previous one or two years. But I agree with cafz. Chances of having it fitted before delivery would be very small. In any case, it has to come off again to install the tow bar. Whether that be yourself or a third party. It is a little less work if it has already been fitted (about 10minutes difference) but in my estimation, it would be over one hour of work to remove the old and refit the new and not add the towbar.
So, better to do later. There are details on ordering earlier in the thread or presumably the fitter will order and fit it if you have a fitting place do it.
If you are doing the work yourself and want to buy my "old" fascia diffuser (let's say for $70) and cut out a "door" and figure out a fixing method for same, you are welcome. Then you would fit or have fitted the modified diffuser (fancy name for stone guard or streamlining panel) when the tow bar was installed. This would save the $230 for the diffuser but cost some time and effort and ingenuity.
So, better to do later. There are details on ordering earlier in the thread or presumably the fitter will order and fit it if you have a fitting place do it.
If you are doing the work yourself and want to buy my "old" fascia diffuser (let's say for $70) and cut out a "door" and figure out a fixing method for same, you are welcome. Then you would fit or have fitted the modified diffuser (fancy name for stone guard or streamlining panel) when the tow bar was installed. This would save the $230 for the diffuser but cost some time and effort and ingenuity.
if tesla were to scoop that low then guess what .. i know i wont be buying another tesla then.. will be plenty more EVs to choose from in the next few years.. otherwise back to burning petrol or might just stick to public transport
I guess that is another option. There is no problem for anyone to cutout a hatch. Indeed, the instructions come with a template and accurate dimensions (not that any great accuracy is required- just room to get you hand in on the locking side or the other side for the key). Then you could 3D print a door to match the actual cutout. Or use the cutout piece, chamfer it and glue or screw some bits to turn it into a removable hatch door.
If you look on the AEVA forum at the Kona pages, all the same sorts of discussions happened there. The electric Kona has the same chassis as the petrol one so the petrol towbar fits. However Hyundai do not specify towing allowed (or maybe disallow it- not sure). On top of that, unlike Tesla, I don't think the Kona Aus compliance included towing (I am only working from memory here. Think I'm right but could be wrong). But quite a few people have fitted tow bars to their Konas and are happily towing all sorts of things around the country.
The cover plate (=door) is only used when no tow bar or hitch is installed. So, if you leave the tongue/towball installed all the time then it is not needed. I leave mine out & the door shut so:
a. It is impossible to tell if one is fitted unless you open the door.
b. To keep dirt out.
c. To reduce additional weight (it is quite heavy).
d. To reduce aerodynamic turbulence (probably not large).
So in summary, if you are using it a lot and so leaving it in, the door is not needed.
a. It is impossible to tell if one is fitted unless you open the door.
b. To keep dirt out.
c. To reduce additional weight (it is quite heavy).
d. To reduce aerodynamic turbulence (probably not large).
So in summary, if you are using it a lot and so leaving it in, the door is not needed.